Providing you ignore the numerous times the name “David Budd” appeared on screens in various documents, the mistake is easy to understand with Madden’s Scottish accent transforming ‘Budd’ and ‘Bird’ into homophones.

It was an error made by many many viewers, including actor Georgia Tennant…

It’s only taken 6 episodes for me to realize his name was ‘Budd’. I just thought everyone was saying ‘Bird’ in his accent. #bodyguard

And no, this explanation doesn’t really explain how viewers thought his name was ‘Bird’ even after other characters with English RP accents referred to Madden’s character as ‘Budd’ (unless the idea was that everyone – fictional or not – had misheard it), but with nail-biting scenes of corrupt cop interviews and a final twist, it was the least worrying mystery of the night.

And whatever you call him, there’s a chance David Budd/Bird could return to screens again in the second series of Bodyguard. Although the show hasn’t been officially re-commissioned, Jed Mercurio would be keen to get Madden back for more.

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“He’s the genuine article, a real leading man. And I think this role has put him very much in the spotlight for bigger things,” the screenwriter told Radio Times. “So the practicality may be that we have to work round his availability, if we are lucky enough to get him back.”

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